IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 17, Issue 5 Ver. 15 (May. 2018), PP 10-15 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1705151015 www.iosrjournals.org 10 | Page Coverage Evaluation Survey of Mass Drug Administration for Lymphatic Filariasis in Purbabarddhaman District, West Bengal Abhishek Paul 1 , Md Samsuzzaman 2 , Somnath Naskar 3@ , Soumalya Ray 4 , Suman Chaterjee 5 , Dilip Kumar Das 6 Medical Officer (Specialist) 1 , Assistant Professor 2 , Assistant Professor 3 , Assistant Professor 4 , Medical Officer (Specialist) 5 , Professor & Head 6 Department of Community Medicine, Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan Corresponding author: Somnath Naskar Abstract: Background: Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is the world’s second leading cause of long-term disability. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is the adopted strategy for elimination by which every individual is to be administered an annual single supervised dose of anti-filarial drugs. This process is to be repeated every year for ≥five years with ≥85% actual drug compliance. After last round of MDA in Purba Bardhaman district (2017-18), a coverage evaluation survey was conducted with objectives to assess coverage and compliance, reasons for non- compliance, side effects experienced, awareness about MDA and the constraints in implementing. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three villages and one ward of PurbaBardhaman district, selected by multi stage random sampling. In-depth-interviews of MDA implementing stakeholders were done. Data collected by house to house visit using pre-designed schedule. Results: Total 128 households were surveyed consisting of 606 eligible populations. Distribution coverage, compliance, effective coverage and effective supervised coverage were 83.7%, 87.6%, 73.3% and 27.7% respectively. Effective coverage and compliance were lowest in individuals having ≥15 years age. Effective supervised coverage was below 50% in all four clusters. Commonest reason for non-compliance elicited was ‘fear of side-effects’ (43.8%) and commonest side effect experienced was dizziness (43.3%). 57.03% households were aware about MDA. Extract of interviews with various stakeholders showed lack of dedicated micro-planning, inadequate Information- Education-Communication activities, inadequate community mobilization and knowledge gap of health workers. Conclusion: For successful implementation of MDA, participatory programme implementation planning, coordinated awareness generation and operational research focusing on important aspects is warranted. Keywords: Coverage Evaluation Survey, Lymphatic Filariasis, Mass Drug Administration, PurbaBardhaman --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 14-05-2018 Date of acceptance: 29-05-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is caused by parasitic nematodes belonging to superfamily Filarioidea that live in the human lymphatic system. 1 LF is the world’s second leading cause of long-term disability as it results in loss of approximately five million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) annually. 1 Out of the 81 LF endemic countries, India along with Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, and Nigeria accounts for approximately 70% of the globalburden. 1,2 LFis endemic in 256districts of 15 states and five UTs of Indiawith about 650 million populations at risk. 3 In 1997, the World Health Assembly called upon Member States to develop national plans to eliminate LF. 2 In 2000, the WHO established the Global Programme to Eliminate LF (GPELF) with the goal of eliminating it by 2020. 4 Elimination of LF (ELF) Programme waslaunched in India during 2004 and the National Health Policy (2017) has set the goal of Elimination of LF by 2017. 1, 5 Elimination of LF is meant that ‘LF ceases to be a public health problem, when the number of microfilaria carriers is less than one per cent and the children born after initiation of ELF are free from circulating antigenaemia ’. 1 The two strategies adopted for ELF in accordance to the global strategies are (i) annual single dose Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and Albendazole tablets to all eligible at-risk population of the endemic districts to interrupt disease transmission, and (ii) morbidity alleviation by promoting home based management of lymphoedema cases and up-scaling of hydrocele operations in identified health care delivery institutions. 1, 3, 6 The concept of MDA is to approach every individual in the target community and administer annual single supervised dose of anti-filarial drugs by door to door visit supplemented with drug administration at booths and groups preferably on a single day with two-day mopping up operations, instead of mere distribution of drugs. To